Paul McNamee

Last updated

Paul McNamee
Flickr - Carine06 - Paul McNamee.jpg
McNamee playing tennis in 2011
Country (sports)Australia
Born (1954-11-12) 12 November 1954 (age 69)
Melbourne, Australia
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Turned pro1973
Retired1988
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand) *single-handed until 1979 [1]
CollegeMonash University
Prize money$1,233,615
Singles
Career record247–231
Career titles2
Highest rankingNo. 24 (12 May 1986)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open SF (1982)
French Open 4R (1980)
Wimbledon 4R (1982)
US Open 2R (1979, 1983, 1984, 1986)
Other tournaments
WCT Finals 1R (1983)
Doubles
Career record306–163
Career titles24 [lower-alpha 1]
Highest ranking No. 1 (8 June 1981)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open W (1979, 1983)
French Open SF (1986)
Wimbledon W (1980, 1982)
US Open SF (1980)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals F (1980)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Wimbledon W (1985)
Team competitions
Davis Cup W (1983, 1986)

Paul McNamee (born 12 November 1954) is an Australian former doubles world No. 1 tennis player and prominent sports administrator.

Contents

Junior career

In his hometown, McNamee won the boys' singles tournament at the 1973 Australian Open.

Professional career

McNamee is the only player to switch a grip as a professional, changing from a one-handed backhand to two-handed in 1979. [2] He won two singles and twenty-three doubles titles during his professional career. A right-hander, he reached his highest singles ATP-ranking on 12 May 1986 when he became the world No. 24. McNamee reached his highest doubles ATP-ranking on 8 June 1981 when he became the world No. 1. McNamee won 24 men's doubles titles including four Grand Slam doubles titles in his career. He won the 1979 Australian Open and the 1980 and 1982 Wimbledon Championships with Peter McNamara and the 1983 Australian Open with Mark Edmondson. He won the mixed-doubles title in Wimbledon with Martina Navratilova in 1985.

When John McEnroe won Wimbledon in 1984, McNamee was the only player to take a set off McEnroe throughout the entire championship when he won the third set of their first-round match.

McNamee was also a member of the Australian Davis Cup Team which won the Davis Cup in 1983 and 1986.

In 1987, McNamee became Melbourne's last officially crowned King of Moomba , subsequently a Moomba Monarch was selected (male Monarchs were popularly, but unofficially, still called King of Moomba). [3]

Sports administrator

McNamee played a key role in the founding of the Hopman Cup international tennis tournament in 1988. He served as tournament director of the Hopman Cup and CEO of the Australian Open until 2006.

From 2006 to 2008 he was the tournament director for Golf Australia of the Australian Golf Open. [4] He also served as the CEO of the Melbourne Football Club from March to July 2008. [5]

In late 2008, it was revealed that McNamee has joined the push for Australia to field a cycling team at the Tour de France – with support from Cadel Evans as a consultant for Australian Road Cycling, a Melbourne-based consortium. [6]

Career finals

Singles (2 titles, 5 runner-ups)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Win1.1980 Palm Harbor, U.S.Hard Flag of the United States.svg Stan Smith 6–4, 6–3
Loss1.1980 Palermo, ItalyClay Flag of Argentina.svg Guillermo Vilas 4–6, 0–6, 0–6
Win2.1982 Baltimore WCT, U.S.Carpet Flag of Argentina.svg Guillermo Vilas4–6, 7–5, 7–5, 2–6, 6–3
Loss2.1983 Houston, U.S.Clay Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Ivan Lendl 2–6, 0–6, 3–6
Loss3.1983 Brisbane, AustraliaCarpet Flag of Australia (converted).svg Pat Cash 6–4, 4–6, 3–6
Loss4.1986 Nice, FranceClay Flag of Spain.svg Emilio Sánchez 1–6, 3–6
Loss5.1986 St. Vincent, ItalyClay Flag of Italy.svg Simone Colombo 6–2, 3–6, 6–7

Doubles (23 titles, 15 runner-ups)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1.1977 Santiago, ChileClay Flag of the United States.svg Henry Bunis Flag of Chile.svg Patricio Cornejo
Flag of Chile.svg Jaime Fillol
7–5, 1–6, 1–6
Win1.1979 Nice, FranceClay Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Pavel Složil
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Tomáš Šmíd
6–1, 3–6, 6–2
Win2.1979 Cairo, EgyptClay Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of India.svg Anand Amritraj
Flag of India.svg Vijay Amritraj
7–5, 6–4
Win3.1979Palermo, ItalyClay Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of Egypt (1972-1984).svg Ismail El Shafei
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Feaver
7–5, 7–6
Win4.1979 Sydney Outdoor, AustraliaGrass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of the United States.svg Steve Docherty
Flag of the United States.svg Christopher Lewis
7–6, 6–3
Win5.1979 Australian Open, MelbourneGrass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of Australia (converted).svg Cliff Letcher
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Paul Kronk
7–6, 6–2
Win6Feb 1980 San Juan, U.S. [lower-alpha 1] Hard Flag of Australia (converted).svg Paul Kronk Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Robert Trogolo
Flag of the United States.svg Mark Turpin
7–6, 6–3
Win7.1980Palm Harbor, U.S.Hard Flag of Australia (converted).svg Paul Kronk Flag of Australia (converted).svg Steve Docherty
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John James
6–4, 7–5
Win8.1980Houston, U.S.Clay Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of the United States.svg Marty Riessen
Flag of the United States.svg Sherwood Stewart
6–4, 6–4
Loss2.1980 Forest Hills WCT, U.S.Clay Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of the United States.svg Peter Fleming
Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe
2–6, 7–5, 2–6
Loss3.1980 London/Queen's Club, EnglandGrass Flag of the United States.svg Sherwood Stewart Flag of Australia (converted).svg Rod Frawley
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Geoff Masters
2–6, 6–4, 9–11
Win9.1980 Wimbledon, LondonGrass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of the United States.svg Robert Lutz
Flag of the United States.svg Stan Smith
7–6, 6–3, 6–7, 6–4
Win10.1980 Stockholm, SwedenCarpet Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Heinz Günthardt Flag of the United States.svg Robert Lutz
Flag of the United States.svg Stan Smith
6–7, 6–3, 6–2
Loss4.1980 Bologna, ItalyCarpet Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton Flag of Hungary.svg Balázs Taróczy
Flag of the United States.svg Butch Walts
6–2, 3–6, 0–6
Loss5.1980 Johannesburg, South AfricaHard Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Heinz Günthardt Flag of the United States.svg Robert Lutz
Flag of the United States.svg Stan Smith
7–6, 3–6, 4–6
Win11.1980Sydney Outdoor, AustraliaGrass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of the United States.svg Vitas Gerulaitis
Flag of the United States.svg Brian Gottfried
6–2, 6–4
Loss6.1980Australian Open, MelbourneGrass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Edmondson
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kim Warwick
5–7, 4–6
Win12.1981 Masters Doubles WCT, LondonCarpet Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of the United States.svg Victor Amaya
Flag of the United States.svg Hank Pfister
6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
Loss7.1981 Hamburg, West GermanyClay Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of Chile.svg Hans Gildemeister
Flag of Ecuador.svg Andrés Gómez
4–6, 6–3, 4–6
Win13.1981 Stuttgart Outdoor, West GermanyClay Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Edmondson
Flag of the United States.svg Mike Estep
2–6, 6–4, 7–6
Win14.1981Sydney Outdoor, AustraliaGrass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of the United States.svg Hank Pfister
Flag of the United States.svg John Sadri
6–7, 7–6, 7–6
Loss8.1982Nice, FranceClay Flag of Hungary.svg Balázs Taróczy Flag of France.svg Henri Leconte
Flag of France.svg Yannick Noah
7–5, 4–6, 3–6
Win15.1982 Monte Carlo, MonacoClay Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Edmondson
Flag of the United States.svg Sherwood Stewart
6–7, 7–6, 6–3
Win16.1982 Bournemouth, EnglandClay Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Buster Mottram Flag of France.svg Henri Leconte
Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg Ilie Năstase
3–6, 7–6, 6–3
Win17.1982Wimbledon, LondonGrass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of the United States.svg Peter Fleming
Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe
6–3, 6–2
Win18.1983 Memphis, U.S.Carpet Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of the United States.svg Tim Gullikson
Flag of the United States.svg Tom Gullikson
6–3, 5–7, 6–4
Win19.1983London/Queen's Club, EnglandGrass Flag of the United States.svg Brian Gottfried Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Kevin Curren
Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton
6–4, 6–3
Loss9.1983 Washington D.C., U.S.Clay Flag of the United States.svg Ferdi Taygan Flag of the United States.svg Mark Dickson
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Cássio Motta
2–6, 6–1, 4–6
Win20.1983 Brisbane, AustraliaCarpet Flag of Australia (converted).svg Pat Cash Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Edmondson
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kim Warwick
7–6, 7–6
Win21.1983Australian Open, MelbourneGrass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Edmondson Flag of the United States.svg Steve Denton
Flag of the United States.svg Sherwood Stewart
6–3, 7–6
Win22.1984Houston, U.S.Clay Flag of Australia (converted).svg Pat Cash Flag of the United States.svg David Dowlen
Flag of Nigeria.svg Nduka Odizor
7–5, 4–6, 6–3
Win23.1984 Aix-en-Provence, FranceClay Flag of Australia (converted).svg Pat Cash Flag of New Zealand.svg Chris Lewis
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wally Masur
4–6, 6–3, 6–4
Win24.1984London/Queen's Club, EnglandGrass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Pat Cash Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Bernard Mitton
Flag of the United States.svg Butch Walts
6–4, 6–3
Loss10.1984Wimbledon, LondonGrass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Pat Cash Flag of the United States.svg Peter Fleming
Flag of the United States.svg John McEnroe
2–6, 7–5, 2–6, 6–3, 3–6
Loss11.1984 Hong Kong Hard Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mark Edmondson Flag of the United States.svg Ken Flach
Flag of the United States.svg Robert Seguso
7–6, 3–6, 5–7
Loss12.1985 Rotterdam, NetherlandsCarpet Flag of the United States.svg Vitas Gerulaitis Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Pavel Složil
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Tomáš Šmíd
4–6, 4–6
Loss13.1985 Boston, U.S.Clay Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Libor Pimek
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Slobodan Živojinović
6–2, 4–6, 6–7
Loss14.1986 Fort Myers, U.S.Hard Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter Doohan Flag of Ecuador.svg Andrés Gómez
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Ivan Lendl
5–7, 4–6
Loss15.1986 Sydney Indoor, AustraliaHard (i) Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McNamara Flag of Germany.svg Boris Becker
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Fitzgerald
4–6, 6–7

Notes

  1. 1 2 1980 San Juan tournament was part of Grand Prix circuit but doubles event not officially listed by the ATP.

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References

  1. Chang, Michael and Yorkey, Mike. "Holding Serve: Persevering on and Off the Court", Thomas Nelson Inc, 1 May 2002.
  2. Steinberger, Michael (24 August 2014). "The Death of the One-Handed Backhand". The New York Times Magazine. p. MM40. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  3. Craig Bellamy, Gordon Chisholm, Hilary Eriksen (17 February 2006) Moomba: A festival for the people.: "History of Moomba" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 27 December 2008. PDF pp 17–22
  4. "Sydney to keep Open until 2009", Martin Blake, The Age , 11 February 2007
  5. AAP (2008). McNamee dumped as Demons CEO. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
  6. Cadel, McNamee support push for Australian Tour de France team Article.